Just a stones throw from Route 66 as it enters Joplin from the north, is the old Union Railroad Depot, one of the first "Prairie Style" depots built west of the Mississippi River. It has a rich history of passenger service between Joplin and other cities of the midwest. The structure has been vacant for over 20 years and is in the possession of the Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is eligible for Historic Tax Credits for a redeveloper.
A unique opportunity now exists for the State and the City of Joplin to restore and use this structure as a railroad museum AND a Route 66 welcome station for visiting travelers to Joplin's Main Street. Proposals have also included several Railroad and Route 66 "themed" restaurants, displays of antique automobiles and railroad galleries, a theater for showing programs about Joplin and it's history, a photo gallery of Joplin's famous movie & television stars and sports ledgends and a visitor information center that will have brochures and maps that indicate historic locations and guides to the downtown business district in the Route 66 corridor.
Now sitting on 4 acres of land, expanded ample parking would be provided for larger vehicles and RV's for as long as the visitors wish to spend seeing the sights. The Union Depot is just north of Joplin's main post office on 1st. street and Main, and can be seen from Route 66 as you cross the Broadway bridge heading west.
Photos of the original Route 66 road from 1st. Street and Main to the old Broadway Bridge, which
was torn down and replaced with the new Broadway Bridge that now enters Main Street on 2nd. St.
Scenes from Joplin's Downtown Main Street / Route 66 Corridor.
The old "Cosden" gas station (above) still sits at the corner of 1st. and Virginia (Old Route 66 is on the left), and dates back to the early 50's. It is now "John & Dave's Auto Repair. According to Dave Wright, "No one ever comes by because they don't know about the original route being moved one block south of us".
The sign on the left is one of 2 originals. The words "Self Service" were added much later.
A second sign was sold to a collector.
The slanted front windows were common in the 50's, and the pump island supports are down.
To find this location, turn north on Virginia at the west end of the Broadway Bridge.
The pitch roof was added to the small building along with a rear cement block addition
What Route 66 Ruins are these?
These long abandoned small structures just up the hill from 66 on the Missouri side of the Kansas border, west of Joplin, are of an old restaurant that served Route travelers many decades ago.
The small building on the left contains 2 separate toilets. Their roofs have been collapsed by fallen trees.
On the right, what looks like a stone retaining wall was actually a chicken coop, the backside barely visible throught the weeds.
About 4 structures remain, and were constructed of cement and native stone. The sloping hill was recently mowed.
Constructed using native rock and mortar, these ruins are probably from the 20's or 30's era of Route 66.
The gently sloping hillside had additional buildings which were totally removed years ago.
Joplin Museum Complex
Located just off Route 66 in Joplin's Schifferdecker Park (west 7th. St.), this Museum preserves and exhibits Joplins Mining and Route 66 era history, including the Bonnie and Clyde artifacts,
a drug store and famous Saloon that were on Route 66, and Joplin's famous sons, Mickey Mantle, Dennis Weaver, Bob Cummings and others.
Above: Percy Katz takes a nap near the entry door. Percy was taken in as a lost kitten and is now the "Official" greeter of the Museum. He has been held by Missouri's Governor and countless kids who return just to the museum to visit Percy. (See News Page)
Above, a sample of many of the historical home and business re-creations featured in the Museum. The Park is where early Route travelers camped and there is a monument to Will Rodgers overlooking the Mother Road that also bears his name.
Museum Hours:
Tues. 10 am. to 7 pm.
Wed.-Sat., 10 am. - 5 pm.
Sun., 2 to 5 pm.
Closed Mondays.
There is a small admission fee
Missouri side of Kansas Border on Old Route 66
Right: "Stateline Liquors" is located just a few yards from the MO./KS. border, and served many Kansans when Kansas was a "dry" state. >
Right: Old Phillips 66 gas station, slated for future restoration >
Left: This "old" Phillips gas pump is actually a fiberglass replica. Two are located in front of the Paddoc Liquor store on the right, which also contains a convenience store with a drive thru. Gas was also sold here as far back as the 1940's as indicated by the photo below, right. The building has been renovated recently.
Outlaws travel Route 66 in the 30's
Bank robbers, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
were known to travel on the Mother Road. In the mid-thirty's, the Barrow gang rented this garage apartment in Joplin to hide-out for a while.
They were soon surrounded by county deputies and the Joplin Police, and a huge gun battle broke-out. Two law enforcement officers were killed and the Barrow gang escaped. Bonnie and Clyde were driving a Ford exactly like to one pictured below. Film in a camera left behind contained photos of the Barrow gang, some members previously unknown to the police.
Also, a necklace that belonged to Bonnie was recovered and is on display in the Joplin Museum, off 66 in West Joplin.
ABOVE: The garage apartment is located Off-66 in south Joplin on 34th. St., 2 blocks west of Main.It is vacant now, pending conversion into a Bed and Breakfast rental. There remains marks in the stone from bullets fired during the shoot-out.
These photos below were taken during the "Big Flood" sometime during World War II and shows the corner of Main Street and 5th. Street in Joplin and shows the
J.J. Newberry 5-10-25 Cent Store.
Note the road signs on the lamp post,
MISSOURI US 66, MISSOURI US 71
and MISSOURI
(State Road) 43.
The old Broadway (Route 66) - First St. Viaduct
Kansas City Southern Railway served the Joplin Area.
Backside of the Union Depot showed covered walkway taken to board the trains.
Union Depot fronted Joplin's Main Street (Route 66 1935 Alternate) and the original Route 66 entered from the Broadway Viaduct to 1st. Street on the right end. Several buildings are now located in front of the Depot ( where the lawn is shown) including a U.S. Post Office.
Mansion on the Route
This beautiful residence / horse ranch overlooks many acres of pasture land and is located west of Joplin on Route 66.
Magnificent horses (below) are grazing underneath fall foliage. Route 66 is shown in the background. (Below right) A close up of the man-made waterfalls. This spectacular vista is located between Joplin and Galena, 2 mi. from the state line.
Sunny Jims Ozark Candy Farm...a "Sweet" stop Route 66 in West Joplin in the 50's & 60's.
Foreground shows work on the Route 66 re-alignment in the 60's
Above: A summer view of Sunny Jim's during it's hey-days of the early 60's.. Most of the original sign remains.
Below: Noticed how the Joplin Auto Auction later modified the original structure.
After the re-alignment of Route 66, Sunny Jim's Ozark Candy Farm closed it's doors. In later years, the original building was expanded in all directions and became the Joplin Auto Auction. Today the 40 acre property, which includes two aged houses and lots of pavement, is up for sale....for $600,000.00! The front portion of the original structure was converted into a diner-style restaurant (shown on right).
Considering the location is just one mile from the MO. - KS. border, this site would make an excellent Route 66 Welcome Center for both states, and could include a Deli & Restaurant, a large gift - candy - grocery store, a vehicle maintenance and detailing center, several manager apartments on the second story and the huge paved parking lot can accomodate the overnight parking of trucks with a separate area for RV's and campers. A large motel could also be constructed on property at the top of the hill.
Sunny Jim's Candy store and factory was relocated to this spot on old Route 66 in west Joplin after operating in downtown Joplin from 1933 to 1954. The store closed in 1965 due to the popularity of the interstate and the re-alignment of 66 that caused limited access to customers.
Left & below: The backside of Union Depot shows part of the property that could be used for a connecting Hotel and expanded parking.
View from "new" Route 66, just east of "Old 66" Turn-off to KS.
Left: Located across from the Paddoc Liquor Store was the Oasis Nightclub, a popular party place where folks from Joplin and Galena, KS. jitterbugged all night. The building was torn down many years ago, replaced by several modular homes today.
Pixar's full-size replica "CARS" at the Route 66 drive-in.
Mater and Lightning bask in the warm sunshine while Classic Cars are on display nearby!
Route 66 Authors, Artists, Collectors and Exhibitors were located in the Christman Events Center during the Festival.
Joplin's most popular attraction! The Chocolate Factory and Candy House
Featuring Route 66 Chocolates and Candy!
Free Tours - Holiday Specials
Phone: 417-623-7171 Toll-free: 877-623-7171 Schedule a Tour: 877-623-7171
Open Monday - Saturday, 9:30 - 5:30 Sunday, 12:30 - 5:30 510 South Kentucky Ave.
Directions: On Main Street (Route 66), at 5th. and Main go East 3 blocks to Kentucky , on corner.
Click here
See their Website...
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
JOPLIN
Patrick McPheron, an artist based in Los Angeles who is a native of Joplin, Missouri, put together this amazing video of century-old images from Joplin that deftly fades the images into current-day images from the same exact vantage point.
Getting the new images from the same location must have been the most challenging part of the video!
(From Route 66 News.com)
JOPLIN'S HISTORIC
HIGH ST. & BROADWAY on ROUTE 66
Joplin's THIRD THURSDAY EVENT on Route 66's Downtown Main Street
Completed in 1925 in tribute to the fallen soldiers of WWl, WWll, Korea and VietNam. It is located just West of Main Street in downtown Joplin.
